"Soft" Linguistic Terrorism: A Theory (Mena, 2023)
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Mike explores the concept of 'soft linguistic terrorism,' an updated take on Gloria Anzaldúa's 1980s theory of linguistic terrorism. The discussion delves into the subtle yet pervasive forms of linguistic discrimination faced by Latinos in the U.S., moving from physical punishment to more covert methods like ideological recruitment and incentivization. Mike's personal narrative illustrates how these practices have spanned generations, from his mother's experiences to his own role as a teacher, perpetuating a cycle of racial and linguistic trauma. The video challenges viewers to consider the insidious nature of soft power in language and its impact on cultural identity.
Takeaways
- 📚 The video discusses an updated version of 'linguistic terrorism', a concept originally developed by Gloria Anzaldúa in the 1980s to describe racist attacks on Latino linguistic practices.
- 🏫 Historically, Latino students were physically punished for speaking Spanish in schools, a practice that has evolved into more subtle forms of linguistic discrimination.
- 🌐 The term 'soft linguistic terrorism' is used to describe contemporary, less overt methods of discrimination that still aim to suppress non-dominant languages and cultures.
- 🔄 The video draws parallels between 'soft power' in international relations and the softer, yet still impactful, forms of linguistic terrorism.
- 👥 The script highlights the insidious nature of 'soft Terror', which operates through ideological recruitment and incentivization rather than direct punishment.
- 👩🏫 The speaker shares a personal narrative involving three generations affected by linguistic terrorism, illustrating how its effects can span decades and generations.
- 🏛️ The video critiques the enforcement of 'standard language' as a colonial and white supremacist fantasy, arguing that it's an unrealistic and unattainable ideal.
- 🎓 The speaker's experience as a teacher reflects how soft linguistic terrorism can be perpetuated unintentionally through well-meaning but misguided actions.
- 🌟 The script challenges the notion that valuing a language while devaluing its speakers represents progress, suggesting it may be a form of soft linguistic terrorism.
- 🔗 The video connects the dots between individual experiences, institutional policies, and broader societal attitudes to show how linguistic terrorism is a systemic issue.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the video script?
-The main topic of the video script is 'soft linguistic terrorism,' an updated concept based on Gloria Anzaldúa's theory of linguistic terrorism from the 1980s, which discusses the subtle and indirect forms of linguistic discrimination against Latinos in the United States.
What is the difference between 'old school linguistic terrorism' and 'soft linguistic terrorism'?
-Old school linguistic terrorism involved direct punishment or the threat of punishment for non-standard language use, such as hitting students for speaking Spanish. Soft linguistic terrorism, on the other hand, operates through ideological recruitment and incentivization, where individuals are subtly encouraged or rewarded to adopt the dominant language norms without overt punishment.
How does the concept of 'soft power' relate to 'soft linguistic terrorism'?
-The concept of 'soft power' is used as an analogy to explain 'soft linguistic terrorism.' While 'soft power' refers to indirect means of influencing others (like economic leverage or intelligence sharing), 'soft linguistic terrorism' refers to the subtle, non-violent methods used to enforce linguistic norms, which can be just as effective as the direct methods of old school linguistic terrorism.
What is the role of 'ideological recruitment' in soft linguistic terrorism?
-Ideological recruitment in soft linguistic terrorism involves the process where individuals are subtly encouraged to adopt the dominant linguistic norms without direct coercion. This can happen through socialization within a family, education system, or society, where the dominant norms are presented as the standard, leading individuals to accept and internalize these norms.
Can you explain the 'incentivization' process mentioned in the script?
-Incentivization in the context of soft linguistic terrorism is the process of offering rewards or benefits to individuals who conform to the dominant linguistic norms. This could include academic recognition, job opportunities, or social acceptance, which motivates individuals to adopt the preferred language practices.
What is the significance of the multigenerational effects discussed in the script?
-The multigenerational effects discussed in the script highlight how experiences of linguistic terrorism can span across generations, influencing the linguistic practices and identities of families and communities. It shows how past experiences of linguistic terrorism can lead to long-lasting effects, even when the direct forms of punishment are no longer present.
How does the script connect the personal experiences of the speaker to the broader concept of linguistic terrorism?
-The script connects the personal experiences of the speaker to the broader concept of linguistic terrorism by illustrating how the speaker's mother's experiences with old school linguistic terrorism influenced the speaker's upbringing and language practices. This personal narrative is then used to explore how soft linguistic terrorism operates and perpetuates racial and linguistic trauma across generations.
What is the role of education in perpetuating soft linguistic terrorism according to the script?
-According to the script, education plays a significant role in perpetuating soft linguistic terrorism by reinforcing the value of dominant linguistic norms and often incentivizing students to adopt these norms for academic and social success. Educators may unintentionally contribute to this process by promoting the idea that proficiency in the dominant language is necessary for success.
How does the script challenge the notion of 'standard language'?
-The script challenges the notion of 'standard language' by arguing that the idea of a perfect or standard language is a colonial, white supremacist fantasy. It suggests that the enforcement of such an ideal is a key element of linguistic terrorism, as it perpetuates the idea that non-dominant linguistic practices are inferior or deficient.
What is the significance of the shift from old school linguistic terrorism to soft linguistic terrorism in the context of the University mentioned in the script?
-The shift from old school linguistic terrorism to soft linguistic terrorism at the University mentioned in the script signifies an evolution in the methods used to enforce linguistic norms. While the old methods were more overtly violent and punitive, the newer methods are more subtle and may involve ideological recruitment and incentivization. This shift also reflects a change in societal attitudes towards language and discrimination.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Soft Linguistic Terrorism
The video, sponsored by Educational Linguistics, introduces the concept of 'soft linguistic terrorism,' an updated theory to Gloria Anzaldúa's 1980s concept of linguistic terrorism. Anzaldúa's theory was a framework for understanding racist attacks on Latino linguistic practices, such as physical punishment for speaking Spanish. The video discusses the evolution from overt physical punishment to more subtle, 'soft' forms of linguistic control, drawing parallels with the concept of 'soft power' in international relations. The aim is to explore how these newer, less overt forms of linguistic terrorism continue to have insidious effects on racial and linguistic identities.
🌐 The Evolution of Linguistic Terrorism
This section delves into the historical context of linguistic terrorism, highlighting the shift from direct physical punishment to more subtle forms of control. It discusses the concept of 'deficiency' often associated with Mexican and Mexican-American communities, suggesting that the ideal of a 'standard' language is a colonial and white supremacist fantasy. The video emphasizes that while overt discrimination is now less socially acceptable, discrimination against language use persists, and the enforcement of a monolingual English norm continues to be a form of linguistic terrorism.
🏡 Multigenerational Effects of Soft Linguistic Terrorism
The narrative explores the personal and familial experiences of linguistic terrorism across generations. The speaker's mother, raised in South Texas, experienced 'old school' linguistic terrorism through physical punishment for speaking Spanish. This led to the creation of an English-dominant household, inadvertently recruiting the speaker into white American linguistic norms. The speaker, as a teacher, further perpetuated 'soft' linguistic terrorism by incentivizing English language proficiency as a path to success, thus continuing the cycle of linguistic and racial trauma across generations.
👨🏫 The Role of Education in Linguistic Terrorism
This part of the video focuses on the speaker's personal journey as a teacher in South Texas, where he unknowingly continued the cycle of linguistic terrorism. Despite good intentions, he encouraged students to prioritize English over Spanish, reinforcing the idea that English monolingualism was essential for success. The video suggests that educators, often socialized into white norms, may unintentionally perpetuate linguistic discrimination, highlighting the complexity of soft linguistic terrorism and its multigenerational impact.
🏛️ Institutionalizing Linguistic Terrorism
The final section broadens the discussion to include institutional actors and policies that contribute to linguistic terrorism. It examines language policies and educational practices that stigmatize non-English languages, suggesting that even in institutions that claim to value bilingualism, the underlying devaluation of non-white linguistic practices can constitute a form of soft linguistic terrorism. The video concludes by emphasizing the need to challenge and change institutional processes that reinforce racial and linguistic hierarchies.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Linguistic Terrorism
💡Soft Power
💡Ideological Recruitment
💡Incentivization
💡Old School Terror
💡Soft Terror
💡Monolingualism
💡White Behavioral Norms
💡Multigenerational Effects
💡Standard Language
Highlights
The video discusses an updated version of Gloria Anzaldúa's theory of linguistic terrorism, focusing on 21st-century rearticulations.
Linguistic terrorism is analyzed through the lens of 'soft power', comparing it to military and economic strategies.
The video contrasts old school linguistic terrorism, involving physical punishment, with newer, softer forms.
The term 'soft' in linguistic terrorism does not imply gentleness but refers to indirect, institutional methods.
The video explores the routine nature of linguistic terrorism, emphasizing its everyday, insidious effects.
Aneloa's concept of 'intimate terrorism' is introduced, illustrating the normalization of terror in everyday life.
The video challenges the notion of a 'standard' or 'perfect' language, calling it a colonial white supremacist fantasy.
The enforcement of an idealized English language is identified as a key element of linguistic terrorism.
The video presents a personal narrative linking three generations affected by linguistic terrorism.
Ideological recruitment and incentivization are highlighted as processes of soft linguistic terrorism.
The video discusses the role of education in perpetuating linguistic terrorism through rewards and punishments.
The concept of 'appearance of consent' is introduced to explain how soft linguistic terrorism operates.
The video examines the multigenerational effects of soft linguistic terrorism, spanning decades and generations.
The narrative includes the speaker's own complicity as an educator in perpetuating soft linguistic terrorism.
The video concludes by questioning the progress made by a university's bilingual policy, suggesting it might be a form of soft linguistic terrorism.
The importance of recognizing the institutional processes behind linguistic terrorism is emphasized.
The video calls for a broader understanding of linguistic terrorism that includes both human and non-human actors.
Transcripts
this video is sponsored by educational
Linguistics your new Premier Source for
Cutting Edge research on all things
language and education welcome back
Party People Mike here with a social
life of language and today we'll be
covering an article that I wrote
entitled soft linguistic terrorism 21st
century rearticulations I also created
an audiobook version of the article read
by Yours Truly link is at the top as the
title suggests this is an update to
Gloria an sala's theory of linguistic
terrorism that she developed back in the
1980s which was a lens to analyze racist
attacks on the linguistic practices of
Latinos in the United States now when
analua was a child teachers were allowed
to hit students for speaking Spanish and
the pain and embarrassment were the
point of such punishment now today we're
usually not allowed to hit children so
the disciplinary methods appear softer
but by Soft I don't necessarily mean
that the new forms of linguistic
terrorism are more gentle instead I'm
using the word soft similar to the way
we use it in the phrase soft power so
what's soft power a couple good examples
of soft power might include the times
when the United States refuses to enter
a war directly but instead we might try
to undermine the enemy country by
sharing our military intelligence with
other countries or maybe we'll try to
bankrupt the enemy country through
economic leverage both of those examples
are different versions of soft power but
importantly whether we directly invade
with troops or we indirectly attempt to
bankrupt a country the end goal is the
same to win the war now in a similar
sense there are differences between
direct methods of old school linguistic
terrorism and and the indirect methods
of newer softer linguistic terrorism
clearly we are not in the era where you
could just physically strike children or
tell them that they're stupid Mexicans
times have changed and we're adapting
with softer forms of racism but the
effects of soft Terror are just as
Insidious if not identical to the
effects of old school linguistic
terrorism so what do these newer and
updated forms of soft Terror look like
let's find
out so first let's briefly review what
analua meant by linguistic terrorism
back in the 1980s and I want to focus on
one crucial aspect and that is the realm
of routine it's really easy to think of
terrorist acts as something spectacular
or these events that are high highly
visible but analua was also thinking of
the stuff that you don't see the stuff
that Fades into the background the basic
routine of life in anel dua's
Borderlands book but a few pages before
her famous chapter how to tame a wild
tongue analua described what she called
intimate terrorism or the experience of
being a woman in a male-dominated
society where women become teed where
any little might result in a public
shaming from a father or perhaps a
beating from an abusive husband so here
anal was describing the constant and
routine state of vulnerability where
punishment or the threat of punishment
defines your reality eventually this
survival Behavior becomes routine
meaning living in this state of Terror
was so routine so ordinary that you as
an says you drink it with your morning
coffee similarly the way intimate
terrorism tamed Chana women linguistic
terrorism was meant to tame the wild
tongue and the wild tongue stood for all
linguistic practices that fell outside
of white American linguistic Norms which
to this day continues to be based on
this idea this fantasy of a standard or
perfect or pure academic language more
specifically this idealized English
language monolingualism has been
positioned as the norm in the United
States now while it might sound extreme
to hit students in front of the class
back then in the 60s and 70s that was
routine for Mexicans and
mexican-americans in the United States
not too long ago it was believed by many
miseducated teachers that
bilingualism caused cognitive deficiency
and that's a side key word for this
video deficiency or the idea that
Mexicans are always lacking something
things like Parental Guidance or
morality or good hygiene or intelligence
etc etc Mexicans and mexican-americans
were always perceived as deficient think
about it if your perfect linguistic
ideal is based on the fantasy of a
supposed perfect way to use language
that idealized Perfection is impossible
to reach because it doesn't exist there
is no such thing as a perfect or
standard language user and there's
definitely no such thing as a perfect
standard or pure language I'll say it
bluntly here standard language is a
colonial white supremacist fantasy I
even made a whole video called debunking
standard language I'll put the link in
the upper corner but to make a long
story short the enforcement of the
standard perfect language fantasy is a
crucial element to linguistic terrorism
especially because nowadays you aren't
allowed to discriminate against entire
groups of people but it's totally okay
to discriminate against how people use
language so Gloria analua developed
linguistic terrorism theory in the
Borderlands of South Texas in
the 1980s where she attended panamerican
college now flash forward to the 2020s
and I happen to be conducting research
in the same South Texas region and at
the same University although nowadays
it's called the University of Texas real
Grandy Valley while doing the research
something emerged that I thought was
really important I wanted to show that
while the actual punishment techniques
have mutated into softer forms the
actual effects of the newer softer
linguistic terrorism are virtually
identical to the old school linguistic
terrorism that anal Dua spoke about in
fact what we're going to see in the
video today is that there is not a clear
break between old Terror and new Terror
but instead chains of effects that are
connected over long periods of time
sometimes those effects are linked
across multiple Generations what I want
to show then is that each moment of
linguistic terrorism whether old or new
each moment helps build and feed into
the same trajectory of racial and
linguistic trauma in fact we really only
see an illusion of a break when we
compare the oldest examples of
linguistic terrorism from the 1980s to
the newest examples in the 2020s but
what what about all the stuff that
happened in between that's where you get
to see how experiences of Terror are
linked to one another even when
separated by Decades of time or
generations of people so let me prove it
to you okay for the rest of this video
for ease of use I'm going to switch to
the terms old school Terror when
referring to unal dua's version of
linguistic terrorism and I'll use the
term soft Terror when referring to the
updated version of the theory in this
article so let's start pulling these
Concepts apart by focusing on what I see
as the main differences old school
Terror was usually or primarily based on
punishment or the threat of punishment
on the other hand soft Terror Works
differently Works differently through
two overlapping processes ideological
Recruitment and incentivization let's
break down these processes through
through the narrative found in
subsection 3.2 of the article which is
titled the multigenerational effects of
soft linguistic terrorism so the other
sections of the article look at soft
Terror in a university context however
is actually the narrative that I think
is more important because in this
section you get to see linguistic
terrorism spanning three generations and
it's also super easy to see how old
school Terror and soft Terror
are actually linked together especially
if we keep in mind the end goal of old
linguistic terrorism which included the
enforcement of white behavioral Norms
specifically English language
monolingualism and remember they both
feed into that same trajectory of racial
and linguistic trauma okay enough
abstract talk let's look at some
concrete examples let's talk about my
experience with linguistic terrorism so
I was also born in South Texas and I
graduated from the same University as
analua however my experience with
linguistic terrorism began before I was
even born my mom also grew up in South
Texas and also attended this same
University when growing up my mother
experienced abusive white teachers who
would hit students for speaking Spanish
in school that is a literal textbook
example of old Terror now my mother's
experience with old Terror would
eventually come to have effects on her
son decades later now parents from my
mom's generation were often terrified
that their children would also be abused
in school for speaking Spanish so when I
was born my mom decided to create an
English monolingual household now
depending on how you look at this it
might appear to be a choice but to
Mexican parents back in those days that
decision was about survival not Choice
meaning the creation of my English
monolingual household was a direct
effect of old school terrorism only that
effect emerged decades after the old
school Terror my mom experienced which
now links my experience with soft Terror
to her experience with old Terror the
effect or the result if you want to call
it that was that I was socialized into
white American English monolingual norms
and because I was raised within those
Norms you could say that I was
ideologically recruited to believe that
these white Norms were in fact the norms
for everyone now remember ideological
recruitment is one of the two key
processes of soft Terror notice how no
one is hitting me for speaking Spanish
instead my mom helped create the
conditions where I would very likely
adopt or be recruited to adopt those
ideological Norms all by myself in the
article I say that ideological
recruitment is a form of enforcement
based on the appearance of consent but
what does that mean that phrase the
appearance of consent I've actually
already mentioned a couple examples but
let's back track just a bit and clarify
what I mean for example it could appear
as though my mom willingly consented to
creating an English dominant household
but we got to remember that decisions
made under duress or consent granted
under duress is not really a free choice
and like I said my mom made these
decisions out of a survival mentality
not free consent but now let's think
about about childhood Mike where he
appears as though he willingly took up
white behavioral Norms specifically
English monolingualism but again if we
really think about this I didn't
question my English language monolingual
household because I was a kid and I
didn't know any better so again the
ideological recruitment appeared
consensual so in my school experience no
one was beating the Spanish out of me in
instead I was rewarded for not being
bilingual in fact my English was often
perceived as so good that I was
fast-tracked into gifted and talented
programs and this is the second process
of soft Terror incentivization or the
offering of reward as opposed to
punishment and make no mistake it is
often these incentives that motivates
folks to accept particular ideologies so
now we got both processes ideological
Recruitment and incentivization the
story doesn't end there I must include
my own complicity as an agent of soft
Terror now as I mentioned I grew up not
speaking Spanish and was rewarded for it
in many different ways and so as a brand
new
21-year-old high school teacher in South
Texas teaching a 99% Mexican and Mexican
American population there were many
times that I advise students to
prioritize their English because it's
the language of power I told them many
times that if they learned English
they'd get into better colleges and
they'd get better jobs in other words I
was incentivizing English learning
through potential rewards I also made it
appear that if they didn't learn English
they would never graduate high school
never find a job never go to college I
was essentially creating this image of a
Spanish-speaking homeless dystopia where
the only thing to eat is Bean tacos and
cheap Mexican beer so together the
threat of not graduating high school
paired with the supposed NeverEnding
rewards of English this was my way of
attempting to ideologically recruit
students via incentives into believing
that English
monolingualism was the norm was the
right way to be an American citizen so
quick side note here I imagine that I am
not the only educator that was led
astray or miseducated or socialized into
white norms and then try to enforce
those Norms onto racialized populations
all I'm going to say here is acknowledge
mistakes were made give yourself some
Grace and move forward do better end of
side note okay a couple more things
before we go let's zoom out and note
that there are three generations of
Mexicans and Mexican Americans all
linked by a common experience of
linguistic terrorism you got my mom her
son and then her son's students three
generations all of my former students
would be well into adulthood by now but
I have to wonder how many I
successfully ideologically recruited
into adopting white behavioral Norms
specifically English monolingualism and
I also have to wonder how many of those
students will continue the legacy of
soft Terror onto a fourth generation of
Mexicans and mexican-americans perhaps
it'll continue with their children or
maybe their students if they become
teachers or whatever and because the
terror is spread across so many
generations not only does it appear
softer but in a very real way soft
linguistic terrorism can also be
extremely slow to experience in fact I
had a lot of trouble deciding whether I
should call this soft Terror or slow
terror and the rest of the article
applies soft Terror Theory to a higher
education context which I think you'll
notice looks completely different again
but the principal processes of soft
Terror are still there but importantly
soft Terror Theory does not depend on
human intentions on whether or not
someone intends to act in a racist
manner instead soft terrorism theory is
designed to focus on institutional
processes as well as uncovering those
linked chains of effects to me in my
opinion there is little value in hunting
down the real racists because the
responsibility if we can even call it
that the responsibility for the racist
effects are spread across a whole lot of
people and institutions for example my
mom creating an English dominant
household was an effect of old Terror
that she experienced and not something
that she did because she was being
xenophobic or racist similarly when I
became complicit in soft Terror as a
high school teacher my intention was to
offer my students a chance for a better
life in American society and at the time
I believed that adopting white Norms was
required because I had already been
ideologically recruited to believe such
a thing and on top of that my experience
of being constantly re rewarded for
English speaking also played a factor in
that unfortunately my good intentions
were beside the point the enforcement
and glorification of white Norms
happened whether I intended that or not
whether my mom intended that or not as I
say in the article soft terror is not
about aggressive subjugation but the
constitution of a particular reality
based on racial ing ideological
assumptions so this is just a reminder
that stuff like care and love and
empathy and good intentions cannot or
rather do not operate outside of power
relations indeed the effects of soft
Terror are often most effective when
wrapped in the camouflage of Good
Intentions The multigenerational
Narrative that I just told really
focuses on human actors the teachers who
hit children my mom me as a gifted and
talented child and finally again as a
high school teacher but if soft
linguistic terrorism focuses on
processes and linking chains of effects
then soft Terror Theory can also be used
to link chains of effects from nonhuman
actors like institutions or education
policy or language policy for example
englishon laws that stigmatize
non-english languages yeah that's an
example of linguistic terrorism like I
mentioned the rest of the article takes
us into a higher education context and
you get to see soft Terror in action
there only it's extra complicated but
again ultimately it's about enforcing
white behavioral Norms as the
unquestioned definition of what is
normal whether it's through the violent
punishment of old Terror or the
ideological Recruitment and incentiv
ization of soft Terror the effects and
envision end goal are the same de
prioritize your home Culture Your Home
language and prioritize white American
behavioral norms and finally there is a
major twist in the article when Gloria
analua attended that college the same
University in this article back then
Mexican students were lined up and
forced to speak out loud to an
administrator or a faculty member and
they were almost all promptly tracked
into remedial speech classes meant to
fix their accent that's some old school
Terror for sure but Flash Forward to
today and this University is one of the
first in the whole United States to
openly officially identify as an English
Spanish bilingual University that's huge
that's got to be progress right right I
mean Spanish isn't part of white
American behavioral Norms right so isn't
it time to celebrate well as a bit of
foreshadowing I can tell you that the
very last line of this article says
claiming to value a people's language
while simultaneously devaluing the
people who use it might be one of the
softest forms of linguistic terrorism to
date well that's all for today don't
forget to like And subscribe and do
donate to the patreon you can download
all my articles directly from momik
mana.com or academia.edu once again I'm
Mike with the social life of
language and we're
done
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